TEHRAN, Aug. 28 (MNA) – Iran’s visual arts can compete with other countries’, but they are not supported by the government, painter Reza Hedayat said here on Sunday. The artist, who talked at the “The East of Imagination” painting exhibition, added, “Every branch of visual arts is of great importance in other countries, but the Iranian authorities do not back them.”

He assured that such exhibitions will do improve Iran’s visual arts if held regularly. Shifting to his works at the exhibition, he said, “One of (the Persian mystic and poet Molana Jalal al-Din) Rumi’s poems provided an inspiration for my painting.”

Hedayat added, “The already displayed artworks have added a weak point to the exhibit, whose theme is mysticism and spirituality and every artist has attempted to show them in their artworks. “I believe the painters achieve different levels of spirituality shown in their artworks.” Some art lovers do not have a full understanding of paintings’ conceptions and themes, regretted the artist, blaming the responsible organizations for failing to inform people about the art.”

The exhibition opened at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art (TMCA) on North Kargar Ave., beside Laleh Park on Aug. 15 and will run until October 15.